Hair curling device



June 1954 R. H. HOPKINS ETAL 2,682,272

HAIR CURL-ING DEVICE Filed Dec. 14, 1948 IIWENTORS Tum H. /-/o TWA/5 BY WAY/101111) E REED Patented June 29, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAIR CURLING DEVICE.

Ruth H. Hopkins and Raymond E. Reed, Arlington Heights, 11]., assignors, by mesne assignments, to The Gillette Company, Boston, Mass a corporation of Delaware Application Decemberv 14, 1948, SerialNo. 65,226

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a device for curling hair and more particularly concerns such a device for use in conjunction with Waving preparations and methods which fix the curl imparted to the hair by means of. the device.

Hair waving as normally practiced in the home or beauty shop involves sectioning and blocking of the head of hair into a large number of individual tresses to be curled and winding each of the tresses separately upon curlers. The hair may be treated before or after winding, normally both before and after winding, with a waving lotion which is allowed to act on the hair while wound on the curler to soften the hair by a reducing action. In the cold waving process the wound hair is usually then subjected to treat-, ment with a so-called neutralizing solution which arrests the action of the waving lotion and promotes oxidation-rebuilding of the reduced hair linkages to fix the curl. In the hot waving process, the wound tresses, treated with waving lotion, are subjected to heating, which promotes the initial softening and subsequent setting of the curled hair. Usually the tresses, preliminary to winding, are wrapped about their outer ends with papers, called end papers.

It has heretofore been a common practice to use as the curlers for the waving process fluted plastic rods of elongated hour glass shape on which the hair is Wound and clamped against unwinding by means of a flexible band, which may be fixed to one end of the curler and removably received in notches at the other end, or may be a separate rubber band which is applied over the wound tress and received in notches in the ends of the rod. Although simple, this type of curler is defective from many standpoints. For one thing, it is difficult to begin the wrap because the tress, or the end papers thereon, which are usually wet with lotion, slip on the curler body. The lotion normally contains a wetting agent which makes the rod very slippery. Also, the size of the curler is a handicap since there is barely room for the fingers to hold the curler while the hair is being wrapped. During this operation the hands are wet with lotion and the hair being likewise wet, slipping of the rod from the fingers is commonplace. Slipping of the rod is also prone to occur during clamping with the flexible band on conclusion of the wrap, making this a particularly trying operation. These difficulties have been especially troublesome in home waving, where the user usually lacks experience and skill and, if giving the wave to herself, finds winding an awkward operation at best.

The present invention provides a novel curler which efiectively overcomes these disadvantages of the prior curlers and greatly facilitates and improves the waving process,.par ticu1arly in the home.

The curling device of the invention is particularly characterized in having a rigid but resilient clamping or clasp member hinged to a curling rod in such manner that the rod is rotatable relative to the clasp member when the latter is in extended, non-clamping position. In this manner, the device is provided with a handle of substantial length which lies entirely at one side of the tress to be wound and which may be grasped in one hand and held without rotation while the rod is turned relative thereto with the other hand to wind up the hair. Since the clamping member or clasp which forms the handle is not rotated, it may be firmly gripped by the hand and the danger of slippage from the fingers,

always present when the entire device must be rotated, is obviated. If the fingers engaging and turning the rod should lose their grip, no harm is done, since the device is still firmly held in the other hand by the extended clasp member and the rod, though rotatable relative to the clasp member, will not unwind of itself. The device is further characterized by a readily engageable locking connection between the outer ends of the clasp member and rod which prevents relative rotation of rod and clasp member after the latter is pivoted into clamping relation with the rod over the wound tress, thereby effectively preventing unwinding of the tress until the clasp is released.

Curlers of this general type have been proposed heretofore but have not been satisfactory. The proposed structures have usually required the use of metal parts which is undesirable because of the susceptibility of such parts to attack by the chemicals used in the hair waving processes and also because of their Weight. In cold waving, some forty or more rods are on the head at one time which makes lightness of rod structure a prime requisite. In many cases these prior structures have been so complicated as to make their cost prohibitive. Further, they have been difficult to clasp and unclasp properly and have lacked the requisite durability to stand repeated usage.

The curler of the present invention, however, has eliminated these deficiencies. It is so constructed that all parts thereof may be formed of a molded plastic material, such as polystyrene or cellulose acetate, which is resistant to attack by hair waving chemicals. It is neither compli'cated nor expensive to makeindeed, in its preferred form, it is formed of only two molded parts which are readily assembled merely by pressing the parts together. It is strong and durable but light in weight. It is easy to clasp and unclasp by simple opening and closing, without any relative manipulation of the parts necessary to obtain registry of latching members.

The rod portion of the device may be of any suitable form, but is preferably ,of elongated hour-glass shape for permanent waving purposes with longitudinal flutings or grooves which facilitate lateral flow and even distribution of the solution or solutions applied to the hair. For routine hair dressing purposes not involving chemical treatments the rod is preferably cylindrical in shape. Preferably, also, the rod is provided with gripping teeth which are long enough to .bite into a layer of end paper on the tress thereby inhibiting slippage at the start of the winding.

The accompanying drawing, with the aid of which the invention will be further described, shows a preferred embodiment which possesses the advantages above described and which is convenient and inexpensive to manufacture. The drawing may be taken as approximately double scale with respect to most desirable proportions for hair waving usage.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the curler;

Fig. 2 is another plan view, partly in section, of the curler of Fig. 1, taken from above the curler as positioned in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the right hand end of the rod of the curler shown in (Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a cross-section view on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, the curler represented will be seen as constituted of a pin body or rod [0, having longitudinal grooves or flutes II, and a clasp member i2. Rod I6 is provided with two rows of teeth 14 between adjacent flutes, the purpose of which is to grip the end papers previously mentioned. The rows of teeth substantially parallel the longitudinal or major axis of the rod, the diameter of which progressively decreases from each end toward the middle thereof, and are positioned centrally of the length of the rod. Both the rod and clasp member are preferably of plastic as previously mentioned. Rod I terminates at one end in a reduced extension !6 having thereon a substantially spherically curved projecting shoulder ll. Clasp member I2 is provided at one end with a pair of opposed projecting flanges [8 which are provided in their opposed surfaces with opposite recesses, of circular cross-section which, in the embodiment shown, are in the form of circular openings [9 extending entirely through the flanges. Flanges l8 are spaced apart slightly less than the largest diameter of spherical shoulder I! which is forced between the flanges until it seats in the recesses, the flanges being yieldable to permit such assembly. When assembled between the flanges as shown, shoulder IT and flange recesses I9 form a ball and socket joint in which rod [0 is free to rotate about its own longitudinal axis and which also effects a hinging of the rod and clasp member together for opening and closing pivotal movements about an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the rod at any rotated position of the rod about its longitudinal axis.

The end of rod 10 opposite extension I6 is provided with a central depression 26, shown as V- shaped in cross-section, the edges of which are serrated to provide alternate ribs 22 and grooves 24, the grooves opening through the side of the rod and being arranged in diametrically opposite pairs. The end of clasp member [2 opposite flanges I8 is turned inwardly at 25 and the inner face of end 25 is provided with an integral arcuate tab 26 which projects toward the flanges i8, tab 26 being of narrower width than the grooves 24. Clasp member [2 and tab 26 are so proportioned that the distances of the inner face of end 25 and of the high midpoint of tab 26 from the pivot axis of the ball and socket connection are respectively greater and less than the distance of the opposite end of rod I0 therefrom.

When clasp member I2 is pivoted toward closed position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, the outer edge of tab 26 will engage with the end of rod l0 which is rotated slightly, if need be, so that the tab 26 will enter one of the grooves 24. Further clamping pressure on the rod and clasp member causes the rearwardly curved. outer end of tab 26 to enter the groove 24 and act as a cam surface to produce a slight stretching or yielding of clasp member l2 until the high point of tab 26 is reached. The outer end of tab 26 passes across the opening 20 and enters the opposite groove 24 while the inner end of the tab is entering the first groove 24 so that finally the tab is seated with its high midpoint centered in the opening 20 and its curved ends engaged between the ribs 22 at either side of opposing grooves 24. At this point a straight-edged lug 28 at the base of end 25 of clasp member I2 engages the outer periphery of rod ln at the base of groove 24 and stops further inward movement of the clasp member.

At the closed position of the clasp member, rod 10 is locked against rotation about its longitudinal axis due to engagement of the opposite ends of tab 26 between opposite sets of ribs 22. The clasp member is not under tension because the high central portion of tab 26, which produced tension in entering the groove 24, is now seated in the central deep opening 20 in the end of the rod. However, the clasp member is releasably spring locked against unclasping due to the fact that the high mid-point of tab 26 must pass over the outer edge of a groove 24 with consequent stretching tension on the clasp member as previously described in order to be freed from looking engagement with the rod end.

The particular locking connection as shown and described for the free ends of rod and'clasp member is advantageous and preferred because it provides a positive lock against rotation of the rod about its axis while the two are clamped together as is desirable, it provides a positive spring action in opening and closing the parts, yet it leaves the parts while closed in unstrained condition, which is advantageous in preventing permanent distortion of the parts, as may take place for example by so-called cold flow of plastics, such as I prefer to employ for the parts, when maintained under tension for prolonged periods of time. Moreover, the connection is easy to engage and disengage. When the clasp member is moved toward closed position, if the tab 26 is not in exact registry with one of the grooves 24, it will normally, by pressure on the periphery of the rod between grooves, cause rotation of the rod until registry is efiected.

Preferably, as shown in Fig. 1, clasp member I2 is bowed outwardly from rod Ill between its ends. This aids in providing resilience for the spring locking action and also provides desirable additional room between rod and closed clasp member in the area of normal maximum depth of the curl. It should also be noted that the flanges 18 of the clasp member are of a width slightly less than the diameter of the contiguous end portion of the rod. This permits that end of the rod to be gripped between the fingers for winding rotation, at open positions of the clasp member, with the fingers out of contact with the clasp member so that undesirable rotation of the clasp member as well as the rod is avoided.

The invention thus provides a curler composed of a clasp member and rod connected together in such manner as to permit free rotation of the rod relative to the clasp member about its longitudinal axis and also opening and closing pivotal movements of rod and clamp about a transverse axis. The clasp member may thus be held open at any convenient angle to the rod axis while the rod is rotated relative thereto with the other hand to wind the tress. Thus, winding is greatly simplified and slipping of the device from the fingers is prevented. The hair distributes itself readily over the rod surface allowing even novices to wrap uniform curls. Fewer curls are necessary because of the more eificient use of the entire rod surface. This allows important savings in the time and labor necessary for the permanent waving process. In its preferred form the device is formed of only two parts, both of which may be completely molded from plastic in a single molding operation and subsequently assembled by the simple expedient of pressing the spherically shouldered end extension of the rod into the socket formed between the receiving flanges at the end of the clasp member. The simplicity and ease of manufacture and assembly thus provided are of great importance in reducing cost, an allimportant factor in curlers used for waving, due to the large number required.

The device is strong, durable and will withstand long repeated usage without weakening, loosening, maladjustment or distortion of the parts. It ay be made completely of plastic material whic is not affected by waving chemicals. The preferied locking arrangement shown is easy to engage {fend disengage yet firm in its locking grip while closed without strain on the parts.

It will be understood that we have described the invention only in connection with a preferred embodiment shown in the drawing and that the invention is not to be restricted to precise details of construction shown in the drawing, since various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention or sacrificing all of the many advantages derived from its use.

We claim:

1. In a hair curling device comprising a winding member and a clasp member, a pair of opposed fianges at one end of said clasp member and projecting laterally with. respect to the lonl gitudinal axis thereof, each of said flanges having a recess therein standing in offset relation to said axis, and annular shoulder at the corresponding end of said winding member, said annular shoulder being rotatably received in said i recess whereby either of said members may be swung relative to the other about an axis transverse its own axis and said winding member may be rotated axially relative to said clasp member,

and locking means associated with said members for preventing relative rotation thereof on closing of the clasp member.

2. In a hair curling device comprising a winding member and a clasp member, a pair of opposed flanges at one end of one of said members 5;.

and projecting laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis thereof, at least one of said flanges having a recess therein standing in offset relation to said axis, an annular shoulder on a reduced extension at the corresponding end of the other of said members, said annular shoulder being rotatably received in said recess whereby either of said members may be swung relative to the other about an axis transverse its own axis and said winding member may be rotated axially relative to said clasp member, and locking means associated with said members for preventing relative rotation thereof on closing of the clasp member.

3. In a hair curling device comprising a winding member and a clasp member, said Winding member diminishing in diameter between its ends and having longitudinal surface grooves formed therein, a pair of opposed flanges at one end of one of said members and projecting laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis thereof, at least one of said flanges having a recess therein standing in offset relation to said axis, a substantially spherically curved shoulder at the corresponding end of the other of said members, said shoulder being rotatably received in said recess whereby either of said members may be swung rela tive to the other about an axis transverse its own axis and said winding member may be rotated axially relative to said clasp member, and locking means associated with said members for preventing relative rotation thereof on closing of the clasp member.

4. A hair curling device according to claim 3 in which said winding member is provided between adjacent grooves with a row of projecting teeth of a length sufficient to penetrate and grip a thin paper layer wrapped about a tress to be Wound on said winding member.

5. In a hair curling device comprising a winding member and a clasp member, a pair of op- ;posed flanges at one end of one of said members and projecting therefrom, at least one of said flanges having a recess in the inner face thereof, an annular shoulder at the corresponding end of the other of said members, said flanges so projecting, and said recess being so located therein, with reference to the longitudinal axis of the member carrying the same that said recess is offset laterally of the longitudinal axis of said clasp member when said shoulder is received in said recess, said shoulder being rotatably received in said recess whereby either of said members may be swung relative to the other about an axis transverse to its own axis and said winding member may be rotated axially relative to said clasp member, and cooperative locking means on said members for holding the ends of said clasp and winding members in closed position.

6. In a hair curling device, a clasp member shaped to provide flanges with opposed faces shaped to provide a spherical bearing, said flanges being offset and locating said spherical bearing radially offset from the longitudinal axis of the clasp member, a winding member shaped to provide at one end a projecting annular shoulder of a size and shape to be retained in said bearing and held therein for universal motion relative thereto, and cooperative locking means on said members for holding the other ends of said clasp and winding members in closed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 933,499 Taylor Sept. '7, 1909 1,077,897 West Nov. 4, 1913 1,565,098' Nielsen Dec. 8, 1925 1,971,745 Campana Aug. 28, 1934 2,196,438 Hitz Apr. 9, 1940 2,242,021 Ball May 13, 1941 2,295,892 Crotts Sept. 15, 1942 2,309,359 Schlicker Jan. 26, 1943 r 2,391,284 Weiss Dec. 18, 1945 2,392,928 Krasberg Jan. 15, 1946 

